The Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, Barr. Bassey Dan Abia has sounded it loud and clear that his administration will not encouraged abandonment of project rather take them to completion.
Dan Abia made the remark while in a chat with journalists in Port Harcourt.
According to him, since we have been on board steps have been taking to correct the observed lapses especially against contractors collecting mobilization fees and running away.
Presently, mobilization fees are paid to banks with guarantees that the jobs embarking will be executed.
“In the new NDDC the contractors must raise money for the contract and they must have the capacity before the contract can be awarded to them.
He noted that the problems of contractors disappearing with the mobilization fees no longer arise “we have key into the government of change.”
Dan Abia further explained that some projects in the Niger Delta were very expensive thereby needed the collaboration of other partners to carry on the projects in the region.
He disclosed that the Ogbia – Nembe road in Byaelsa state which cost over N20 billion was constructed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited and the mother and child hospital in Port Harcourt being built in partnership with the Rivers State government and urged other stakeholders to emulate the gesture.
The NDDC boss who noted that the commission does not have the capacity to develop the region alone but required the collaboration of others and enjoined stakeholders in the region to partner with the NDDC to move the region forward.
Dan denied insinuation making the round the states that the NDDC was planning to divert N4.5 billion belonging to the commission to support Chief Timipre Sylva the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State in the December 5th election, at the time NDDC is experiencing inadequate funding and owing the contractors trillions of naira, such is mere rumours he explained.
The NDDC boss expressed surprise at the decision of the senate to probe the Agbarho township road project in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta North which cost 2.4 billion which the senators claimed to have been abandoned when Theophilus Egbele of Serena Rock Limited published full page advertorial in most national newspaper few weeks ago, admitting that the delay was cause by the people of the community.
He further disclosed that the nine states government in the Niger Delta are no longer contributing cash for the activities of the NDDC in line with the NDDC Act which stipulated that the government of the nine states of the commission including Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ondo, Abia and Imo state must make financial contributions to the commission and appeal that they should cooperate with the commission to enable them succeed.
The MD who commended journalists for assisting the commission in publishing their programmes urged them not to relent in their efforts, assuring that the commission will continue to partner with the media. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
